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Designing a National Performance Measurement System

NCJ Number
211088
Journal
Prison Journal: An International Forum on Incarceration and Alternative Sanctions Volume: 85 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2005 Pages: 368-393
Author(s)
Kevin N. Wright
Date Published
September 2005
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This article describes the efforts of the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA) in their goal of developing a national performance measurement system to be used in the management of America’s prison systems.
Abstract
The past two decades have witnessed an increase in the use of performance-based management among correctional administrators, which works by translating agency goals into measurable outcomes and regularly monitoring progress. The success such a management philosophy has produced for State correctional departments led the ASCA to investigate establishing a national performance measurement system for the Nation’s prison systems. It has become one of the highest priorities of the ASCA, a national professional organization that provides a venue for senior correctional officials to advance professional knowledge in the field of corrections. In 1999, the ASCA set out to develop performance indicators to gauge agency progress toward identified objectives. The article describes the process through which the performance indicators were developed and describes the design of the performance measures. The process of developing the national performance measurement system involved identifying correctional standards, developing key indicators of those standards, and specifying the rules for measuring the key indicators. The utilization of the system is expected to allow cross jurisdictional evaluations, clarify misunderstandings, and encourage management to be future oriented. Next steps for the development project are identified, including the identification of key indicators in the areas of programming, justice, human resource management, and health. Tables, references